Hermann Hesse Steppenwolf a Novel

8/13/2019 Hermann Hesse Steppenwolf a Novel

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STEPPENWOLF

HERMANN HESSE

CONTENTS

A Note on the Translation

STEPPENWOLF

Preface

Harry Haller's Records

"For Maden Only"


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A NOTE ON THE TRANSLAT!ON

This is the first reised edition of #aal Crei$hton's translation of %&&( !n the reision

)e )ere intent *+on a ore e,act and ore readily *nderstood rendition- #ritishs+ellin$s and idios hae .een Aericani/ed- 0eraniss reoed- a)1)ard

sentences i+roed- and isleadin$ translations corrected(

2ose+h Milec1

#orst Fren/


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PREFACE

TH!S #OO3 CONTA!NS THE RECOR4S LEFT 5S .y a an )ho- accordin$to the e,+ression he often *sed hiself- )e called the Ste++en)olf( Whether this

an*scri+t needs any introd*ctory rear1s ay .e o+en to 6*estion( !- ho)eer- feel the

need of addin$ a fe) +a$es to those of the Ste++en)olf in )hich ! try to record y

recollections of hi( What ! 1no) of hi is little eno*$h( !ndeed- of his +ast life and

ori$ins ! 1no) nothin$ at all( 7et the i+ression left .y his +ersonality has reained- in

s+ite of all- a dee+ and sy+athetic one(

Soe years a$o the Ste++en)olf- )ho )as then a++roachin$ fifty- called on y

a*nt to in6*ire for a f*rnished roo( He too1 the attic roo on the to+ floor and the

.edroo ne,t it- ret*rned a day or t)o later )ith t)o tr*n1s and a .i$ case of .oo1s andstayed nine or ten onths )ith *s( He lied .y hiself ery 6*ietly- and .*t for the fact

that o*r .edroos )ere ne,t door to each other88)hich occasioned a $ood any chance

enco*nters on the stairs and in the +assa$e88)e sho*ld hae reained +ractically

*nac6*ainted( For he )as not a socia.le an( !ndeed- he )as *nsocia.le to a de$ree !

had neer .efore e,+erienced in any.ody( He )as- in fact- as he called hiself- a real

)olf of the Ste++es- a stran$e- )ild- shy88ery shy88.ein$ fro another )orld than ine(

Ho) dee+ the loneliness into )hich his life had drifted on acco*nt of his dis+osition and

destiny and ho) conscio*sly he acce+ted this loneliness as his destiny- ! certainly did

not 1no) *ntil ! read the records he left .ehind hi( 7et- .efore that- fro o*roccasional tal1s and enco*nters- ! .ecae $rad*ally ac6*ainted )ith hi- and ! fo*nd

that the +ortrait in his records )as in s*.stantial a$reeent )ith the +aler and less

co+lete one that o*r +ersonal ac6*aintance had $ien e(

#y chance ! )as there at the ery oent )hen the Ste++en)olf entered o*r

ho*se for the first tie and .ecae y a*nt's lod$er( He cae at noon( The ta.le had

not .een cleared and ! still had half an ho*r .efore $oin$ .ac1 to the office( ! hae neer

for$otten the odd and ery conflictin$ i+ressions he ade on e at this first enco*nter(

He cae thro*$h the $la/ed door- hain$ 9*st r*n$ the .ell- and y a*nt as1ed hi in

the di li$ht of the hall )hat he )anted( The Ste++en)olf- ho)eer- first thre) *+ hisshar+- closely cro++ed head and sniffed aro*nd nero*sly .efore he either ade any

ans)er or anno*nced his nae(

"Oh- it sells $ood here-" he said- and at that he siled and y a*nt siled too(

For y +art- ! fo*nd this atter of introd*cin$ hiself ridic*lo*s and )as not faora.ly

i+ressed(


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"Ho)eer-" said he- "!'e coe a.o*t the roo yo* hae to let("

! did not $et a $ood loo1 at hi *ntil )e )ere all three on o*r )ay *+ to the to+

floor( Tho*$h not ery .i$- he had the .earin$ of a .i$ an( He )ore a fashiona.le and

coforta.le )inter oercoat and he )as )ell- tho*$h carelessly- dressed- clean8shaen-

and his cro++ed head sho)ed here and there a strea1 of $rey( He carried hiself in a

)ay ! did not at all li1e at first( There )as soethin$ )eary and *ndecided a.o*t it thatdid not $o )ith his 1een and stri1in$ +rofile nor )ith the tone of his oice( Later- ! fo*nd

o*t that his health )as +oor and that )al1in$ tired hi( With a +ec*liar sile88at that

tie e6*ally *n+leasant to e88he conte+lated the stairs- the )alls- and )indo)s- and

the tall old c*+.oards on the staircase( All this seeed to +lease and at the sae tie to

a*se hi( Alto$ether he $ae the i+ression of hain$ coe o*t of an alien )orld-

fro another continent +erha+s( He fo*nd it all ery charin$ and a little odd( ! cannot

deny that he )as +olite- een friendly( He a$reed at once and )itho*t o.9ection to the

ters for lod$in$ and .rea1fast and so forth- and yet a.o*t the )hole an there )as a

forei$n and- as ! chose to thin1- disa$reea.le or hostile atos+here( He too1 the rooand the .edroo too- listened attentiely and aia.ly to all he )as told a.o*t the

heatin$- the )ater- the serice and the r*les of the ho*sehold- a$reed to eerythin$-

offered at once to +ay a s* in adance88and yet he seeed at the sae tie to .e

o*tside it all- to find it coic to .e doin$ as he did and not to ta1e it serio*sly( !t )as as

tho*$h it )ere a ery odd and ne) e,+erience for hi- occ*+ied as he )as )ith 6*ite

other concerns- to .e rentin$ a roo and tal1in$ to +eo+le in 0eran( S*ch ore or less

)as y i+ression- and it )o*ld certainly not hae .een a $ood one if it had not .een

reised and corrected .y any sall instances( A.oe all- his face +leased e fro the

first- in s+ite of the forei$n air it had( !t )as a rather ori$inal face and +erha+s a sad one-

.*t alert- tho*$htf*l- stron$ly ar1ed and hi$hly intellect*al( And then- to reconcile e

f*rther- there )as his +olite and friendly anner- )hich tho*$h it seeed to cost hi

soe +ains- )as all the sae 6*ite )itho*t +retension: on the contrary- there )as

soethin$ alost to*chin$- i+lorin$ in it( The e,+lanation of it ! fo*nd later- .*t it

dis+osed e at once in his faor(

#efore )e had done ins+ectin$ the roos and $oin$ into the arran$eents- y

l*ncheon ho*r )as *+ and ! had to $o .ac1 to .*siness( ! too1 y leae and left hi to

y a*nt( When ! $ot .ac1 at ni$ht- she told e that he had ta1en the roos and )as

coin$ in in a day or t)o( The only re6*est he had ade )as that his arrial sho*ld not

.e notified to the +olice- as in his +oor state of health he fo*nd these foralities and the

standin$ a.o*t in official )aitin$ roos ore than he co*ld tolerate( ! ree.er ery

)ell ho) this s*r+rised e and ho) ! )arned y a*nt a$ainst $iin$ in to his

sti+*lation( This fear of the +olice seeed to e to a$ree only too )ell )ith the

ysterio*s and alien air the an had and str*c1 e as s*s+icio*s( ! e,+lained to y a*nt


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that she o*$ht not on any acco*nt to +*t herself in this e6*iocal and in any case rather

+ec*liar +osition for a co+lete stran$er: it i$ht )ell t*rn o*t to hae ery *n+leasant

conse6*ences for her( #*t it then cae o*t that y a*nt had already $ranted his re6*est-

and- indeed- had let herself .e alto$ether ca+tiated and chared .y the stran$e

$entlean( For she neer too1 a lod$er )ith )ho she did not contrie to stand in soe

h*an- friendly- and as it )ere a*ntli1e or- rather- otherly relation: and any a one hasade f*ll *se of this )ea1ness of hers( And th*s for the first )ee1s thin$s )ent on: ! had

any a fa*lt to find )ith the ne) lod$er- )hile y a*nt eery tie )arly too1 his +art(

As ! )as not at all +leased a.o*t this .*siness of ne$lectin$ to notify the +olice- !

)anted at least to 1no) )hat y a*nt had learnt a.o*t hi: )hat sort of faily he cae

of and )hat his intentions )ere( And- of co*rse- she had learnt one thin$ and another-

altho*$h he had only stayed a short )hile after ! left at noon( He had told her that he

tho*$ht of s+endin$ soe onths in o*r to)n to aail hiself of the li.raries and to see

its anti6*ities( ! ay say it did not +lease y a*nt that he )as only ta1in$ the roos for

so short a tie- .*t he had clearly 6*ite )on her heart in s+ite of his rather +ec*liar )ayof +resentin$ hiself( !n short- the roos )ere let and y o.9ections cae too late(

"Why on earth did he say that it selt so $ood here;" ! as1ed(

"! 1no) )ell eno*$h-" she re+lied- )ith her *s*al insi$ht( "There's a sell of

cleanliness and $ood order here- of cofort and res+ecta.ility( !t )as that that +leased

hi( He loo1s as if he )eren't *sed to that of late and issed it("

2*st so- tho*$ht ! to yself(

"#*t-" ! said alo*d- "if he isn't *sed to an orderly and res+ecta.le life- )hat is$oin$ to ha++en; What )ill yo* say if he has filthy ha.its and a1es dirt eery)here- or

coes hoe dr*n1 at all ho*rs of the ni$ht;"

"We shall see- )e shall see-" she said- and la*$hed: and ! left it at that(

And in the *+shot y fears +roed $ro*ndless( The lod$er- tho*$h he certainly did

not lie a ery orderly or rational life- )as no )orry or tro*.le to *s( 7et y a*nt and !

.othered o*r heads a lot a.o*t hi- and ! confess ! hae not .y a lon$ )ay done )ith

hi een no)( ! often drea of hi at ni$ht- and the ere e,istence of s*ch a an-

*ch as ! $ot to li1e hi- has had a thoro*$hly dist*r.in$ and dis6*ietin$ effect on e(

T)o days after this the stran$er's l*$$a$e88his nae )as Harry Haller88)as

.ro*$ht in .y a +orter( He had a ery fine leather tr*n1- )hich ade a $ood i+ression

on e- and a .i$ flat ca.in tr*n1 that sho)ed si$ns of hain$ traeled far88at least it )as

+lastered )ith la.els of hotels and trael a$encies of ario*s co*ntries- soe oerseas(


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Then he hiself a++eared- and the tie .e$an d*rin$ )hich ! $rad*ally $ot

ac6*ainted )ith this stran$e an( At first ! did nothin$ on y side to enco*ra$e it(

Altho*$h Haller interested e fro the oent ! sa) hi- ! too1 no ste+s for the first

t)o or three )ee1s to r*n across hi or to $et into conersation )ith hi( On the other

hand ! confess that ! did- all the sae and fro the ery first- 1ee+ hi *nder

o.seration a little- and also )ent into his roo no) and a$ain )hen he )as o*t and yc*riosity droe e to do a little s+y )or1(

! hae already $ien soe acco*nt of the Ste++en)olf's o*t)ard a++earance( He

$ae at the ery first $lance the i+ression of a si$nificant- an *ncoon- and

*n*s*ally $ifted an( His face )as intellect*al- and the a.norally delicate and o.ile

+lay of his feat*res reflected a so*l of e,treely eotional and *n*s*ally delicate

sensi.ility( When one s+o1e to hi and he- as )as not al)ays the case- dro++ed

conentionalities and said +ersonal and indiid*al thin$s that cae o*t of his o)n alien

)orld- then a an li1e yself cae *nder his s+ell on the s+ot( He had tho*$ht ore

than other en- and in atters of the intellect he had that cal o.9ectiity- that certaintyof tho*$ht and 1no)led$e- s*ch as only really intellect*al en hae- )ho hae no a,e to

$rind- )ho neer )ish to shine- or to tal1 others do)n- or to a++ear al)ays in the ri$ht(

! ree.er an instance of this in the last days he )as here- if ! can call a ere

fleetin$ $lance he $ae e an e,a+le of )hat ! ean( !t )as )hen a cele.rated

historian- +hiloso+her- and critic- a an of E*ro+ean fae- had anno*nced a lect*re in

the school a*ditori*( ! had s*cceeded in +ers*adin$ the Ste++en)olf to attend it-

tho*$h at first he had little desire to do so( We )ent to$ether and sat ne,t to each other

in the lect*re hall( When the lect*rer ascended the +latfor and .e$an his address- any

of his hearers- )ho had e,+ected a sort of +ro+het- )ere disa++ointed .y his ratherda++er a++earance and conceited air( And )hen he +roceeded- .y )ay of introd*ction- to

say a fe) flatterin$ thin$s to the a*dience- than1in$ the for their attendance in s*ch

n*.ers- the Ste++en)olf thre) e a 6*ic1 loo1- a loo1 )hich critici/ed .oth the )ords

and the s+ea1er of the88an *nfor$etta.le and fri$htf*l loo1 )hich s+o1e ol*es< !t

)as a loo1 that did not si+ly critici/e the lect*rer- annihilatin$ the fao*s an )ith its

delicate .*t cr*shin$ irony( That )as the least of it( !t )as ore sad than ironical: it )as

indeed *tterly and ho+elessly sad: it coneyed a 6*iet des+air- .orn +artly of coniction-

+artly of a ode of tho*$ht )hich had .ecoe ha.it*al )ith hi( This des+air of his not

only *nas1ed the conceited lect*rer and disissed )ith its irony the atter at hand- thee,+ectant attit*de of the +*.lic- the soe)hat +res*+t*o*s title *nder )hich the

lect*re )as anno*nced88no- the Ste++en)olf's loo1 +ierced o*r )hole e+och- its )hole

oer)ro*$ht actiity- the )hole s*r$e and strife- the )hole anity- the )hole s*+erficial

+lay of a shallo)- o+inionated intellect*ality( And alas< the loo1 )ent still dee+er- )ent

far .elo) the fa*lts- defects and ho+elessness of o*r tie- o*r intellect- o*r c*lt*re

alone( !t )ent ri$ht to the heart of all h*anity- it .es+o1e elo6*ently in a sin$le second

the )hole des+air of a thin1er- of one )ho 1ne) the f*ll )orth and eanin$ of an's


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)hole )ealth of his fancy- the )hole of his tho*$ht: and in so far as he let loose *+on

hiself eery .ar.ed criticis- eery an$er and hate he co*ld coand- he )as- in s+ite

of all- a real Christian and a real artyr( As for others and the )orld aro*nd hi he neer

ceased in his heroic and earnest endeaor to loe the- to .e 9*st to the- to do the no

har- for the loe of his nei$h.or )as as dee+ly in hi as the hatred of hiself- and so

his )hole life )as an e,a+le that loe of one's nei$h.or is not +ossi.le )itho*t loe ofoneself- and that self8hate is really the sae thin$ as sheer e$ois- and in the lon$ r*n

.reeds the sae cr*el isolation and des+air(

!t is no) tie- ho)eer- to +*t y o)n tho*$hts aside and to $et to facts( What !

first discoered a.o*t Haller- +artly thro*$h y es+iona$e- +artly fro y a*nt's

rear1s- concerned his )ay of liin$( !t )as soon o.io*s that his days )ere s+ent )ith

his tho*$hts and his .oo1s- and that he +*rs*ed no +ractical callin$( He lay al)ays ery

late in .ed( Often he )as not *+ *ch .efore noon and )ent across fro his .edroo- to

his sittin$ roo in his dressin$ $o)n( This sittin$ roo- a lar$e and coforta.le attic

roo )ith t)o )indo)s- after a fe) days )as not at all the sae as )hen occ*+ied .yother tenants( !t filled *+ ore and ore as tie )ent on( Pict*res )ere h*n$ on the

)alls- dra)in$s tac1ed *+88soeties ill*strations c*t o*t fro a$a/ines and often

chan$ed( A so*thern landsca+e- +hoto$ra+hs of a little 0eran co*ntry to)n- a++arently

Haller's hoe- h*n$ there- and .et)een the )ere soe .ri$htly +ainted )ater colors-

)hich- as )e discoered later- he had +ainted hiself( Then there )ere +hoto$ra+hs of a

+retty yo*n$ )oan- or88rather88$irl( For a lon$ )hile a Siaese #*ddha h*n$ on the

)all- to .e re+laced first .y Michelan$elo's "Ni$ht-" then .y a +ortrait of Mahata

0andhi( #oo1s filled the lar$e .oo1case and lay eery)here else as )ell- on the ta.le-

on the +retty old .*rea*- on the sofa- on the chairs and all a.o*t on the floor- .oo1s )ith

notes sli++ed into the )hich )ere contin*ally chan$in$( The .oo1s constantly

increased- for .esides .rin$in$ )hole arf*ls .ac1 )ith hi fro the li.raries he )as

al)ays $ettin$ +arcels of the .y +ost( The occ*+ant of this roo i$ht )ell .e a

learned an: and to this the all8+eradin$ sell of ci$ar so1e i$ht testify as )ell as

the st*+s and ash of ci$ars all a.o*t the roo( Many of the .oo1s- ho)eer- )ere not

of a scholarly nat*re( The a9ority )ere )or1s of the +oets of all ties and +eo+les( For

a lon$ )hile there lay a.o*t on the sofa )here he often s+ent )hole days all si, ol*es

of a )or1 )ith the title So+hia's 2o*rney fro Meet to Sa,ony88a )or1 of the latter

+art of the ei$hteenth cent*ry( A co+lete edition of 0oethe and one of 2ean Pa*l

sho)ed si$ns of )ear- also Noalis- )hile Lessin$- 2aco.i and Lichten.er$ )ere in thesae condition( A fe) ol*es of 4ostoies1i .ristled )ith +enciled sli+s( On the .i$

ta.le aon$ the .oo1s and +a+ers there )as often a ase of flo)ers( There- too- a +aint

.o,- $enerally f*ll of d*st- re+osed aon$ fla1es of ci$ar ash and >to leae nothin$ o*t?

s*ndry .ottles of )ine( There )as a stra)8coered .ottle *s*ally containin$ !talian red

)ine- )hich he +roc*red fro a little sho+ in the nei$h.orhood: often- too- a .ottle of

#*r$*ndy as )ell as Mala$a: and a s6*at .ottle of Cherry .randy )as- as ! sa)- nearly

e+tied in a ery .rief s+ace88after )hich it disa++eared in a corner of the roo- there to


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collect the d*st )itho*t f*rther diin*tion of its contents( ! )ill not +retend to 9*stify

this es+iona$e ! carried on- and ! )ill say o+enly that all these si$ns of a life f*ll of

intellect*al c*riosity- .*t thoro*$hly sloenly and disorderly all the sae- ins+ired e at

first )ith aersion and istr*st( ! a not only a iddle8class an- liin$ a re$*lar life-

fond of )or1 and +*nct*ality: ! a also an a.stainer and nonso1er- and these .ottles in

Haller's roo +leased e een less than the rest of his artistic disorder(He )as 9*st as irre$*lar and irres+onsi.le a.o*t his eal ties as he )as a.o*t his

ho*rs of slee+ and )or1( There )ere days )hen he did not $o o*t at all and had nothin$

.*t his coffee in the ornin$( Soeties y a*nt fo*nd nothin$ .*t a .anana +eel to

sho) that he had dined( Other days- ho)eer- he too1 his eals in resta*rants-

soeties in the .est and ost fashiona.le- soeties in little o*t8lyin$ taerns( His

health did not see $ood( #esides his li+in$ $ait that often ade the stairs fati$*in$ to

hi- he seeed to .e +la$*ed )ith other tro*.les- and he once said to e that it )as

years since he had had either $ood di$estion or so*nd slee+( ! +*t it do)n first and last to

his drin1in$( When- later on- ! acco+anied hi soeties to his ha*nts ! often sa))ith y o)n eyes ho) he dran1 )hen the ood )as on hi- tho*$h neither ! nor

anyone else eer sa) hi really dr*n1(

! hae neer for$otten o*r first enco*nter( We 1ne) each other then only as fello)

lod$ers )hose roos )ere ad9oinin$ ones( Then one eenin$ ! cae hoe fro

.*siness and to y astonishent fo*nd Haller seated on the landin$ .et)een the first

and second floors( He )as sittin$ on the to+ ste+ and he oed to one side to let e

+ass( ! as1ed hi if he )as all ri$ht and offered to ta1e hi *+ to the to+(

Haller loo1ed at e and ! co*ld see that ! had a)o1en hi fro a 1ind of trance(Slo)ly he .e$an to sile his deli$htf*l sad sile that has so often filled y heart )ith

+ity( Then he inited e to sit .eside hi( ! than1ed hi- .*t said it )as not y c*sto

to sit on the stairs at other +eo+le's doors(

"Ah- yes-" he said- and siled the ore( "7o*'re 6*ite ri$ht( #*t )ait a oent-

for ! really *st tell yo* )hat it )as ade e sit here for a .it("

He +ointed as he s+o1e to the entrance of the first floor flat- )here a )ido) lied(

!n the little s+ace )ith +ar6*et floorin$ .et)een the stairs- the )indo) and the $la/ed

front door there stood a tall c*+.oard of aho$any- )ith soe old +e)ter on it- and infront of the c*+.oard on the floor there )ere t)o +lants- an a/alea and an ara*caria- in

lar$e +ots )hich stood on lo) stands( The +lants loo1ed ery +retty and )ere al)ays

1e+t s+otlessly neat and clean- as ! had often noticed )ith +leas*re(

"Loo1 at this little esti.*le-" Haller )ent on- ")ith the ara*caria and its

)onderf*l sell( Many a tie ! can't $o .y )itho*t +a*sin$ a oent( At yo*r a*nt's

too- there rei$ns a )onderf*l sell of order and e,tree cleanliness- .*t this little +lace


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of the ara*caria- )hy- it's so shinin$ly clean- so d*sted and +olished and sco*red- so

iniola.ly clean that it +ositiely $litters( ! al)ays hae to ta1e a dee+ .reath of it as ! $o

.y( 4on't yo* sell it too- a fra$rance $ien off .y the odor of floor +olish and a faint

)hiff of t*r+entine to$ether )ith the aho$any and the )ashed leaes of the +lants88the

ery essence of .o*r$eois cleanliness- of neatness and etic*lo*sness- of d*ty and

deotion sho)n in little thin$s( ! don't 1no) )ho lies here- .*t .ehind that $la/ed doorthere *st .e a +aradise of cleanliness and s+otless ediocrity- of ordered )ays- a

to*chin$ and an,io*s deotion to life's little ha.its and tas1s(

"4o not- +lease- thin1 for a oent-" he )ent on )hen ! said nothin$ in re+ly-

"that ! s+ea1 )ith irony( My dear sir- ! )o*ld not for the )orld la*$h at the .o*r$eois

life( !t is tr*e that ! lie yself in another )orld- and +erha+s ! co*ld not end*re to lie a

sin$le day in a ho*se )ith ara*carias( #*t tho*$h ! a a sha..y old Ste++en)olf- still

!' the son of a other- and y other too )as a iddle8class an's )ife and raised

+lants and too1 care to hae her ho*se and hoe as clean and neat and tidy as eer she

co*ld a1e it( All that is .ro*$ht .ac1 to e .y this .reath of t*r+entine and .y theara*caria- and so ! sit do)n here eery no) and a$ain: and ! loo1 into this 6*iet little

$arden of order and re9oice that s*ch thin$s still are("

He )anted to $et *+- .*t fo*nd it diffic*lt: and he did not re+*lse e )hen !

offered hi a little hel+( ! )as silent- .*t ! s*.itted 9*st as y a*nt had done .efore e

to a certain char the stran$e an co*ld soeties e,ercise( We )ent slo)ly *+ the

stairs to$ether- and at his door- the 1ey in his hand- he loo1ed e once ore in the eyes

in a friendly )ay and said: "7o*'e coe fro .*siness; Well- of co*rse- ! 1no) little of

all that( ! lie a .it to one side- on the ed$e of thin$s- yo* see( #*t yo* too- ! .eliee-

interest yo*rself in .oo1s and s*ch atters( 7o*r a*nt told e one day that yo* had .eenthro*$h the hi$h school and )ere a $ood 0ree1 scholar( No)- this ornin$ ! cae on a

+assa$e in Noalis( May ! sho) it yo*; !t )o*ld deli$ht yo*- ! 1no)("

He too1 e into his roo- )hich selt stron$ly of to.acco- and too1 o*t a .oo1

fro one of the hea+s- t*rned the leaes and loo1ed for the +assa$e(

"This is $ood too- ery $ood-" he said- "listen to this= 'A an sho*ld .e +ro*d of

s*fferin$( All s*fferin$ is a reinder of o*r hi$h estate(' Fine< Ei$hty years .efore

Niet/sche( #*t that is not the sentence ! eant( Wait a oent- here ! hae it( This=

'Most en )ill not s)i .efore they are a.le to(' !s not that )itty; Nat*rally- they )on'ts)i< They are .orn for the solid earth- not for the )ater( And nat*rally they )on't

thin1( They are ade for life- not for tho*$ht( 7es- and he )ho thin1s- )hat's ore- he

)ho a1es tho*$ht his .*siness- he ay $o far in it- .*t he has .artered the solid earth

for the )ater all the sae- and one day he )ill dro)n("

He had $ot hold of e no)( ! )as interested: and ! stayed on a short )hile )ith

hi: and after that )e often tal1ed )hen )e et on the stairs or in the street( On s*ch


11/144

occasions ! al)ays had at first the feelin$ that he )as .ein$ ironical )ith e( #*t it )as

not so( He had a real res+ect for e- 9*st as he had for the ara*caria( He )as so

coninced and conscio*s of his isolation- his s)iin$ in the )ater- his *+rootedness-

that a $li+se no) and then of the orderly daily ro*nd88the +*nct*ality- for e,a+le-

that 1e+t e to y office ho*rs- or an e,+ression let fall .y a serant or tra)ay

cond*ctor88acted on hi literally as a sti*l*s )itho*t in the least aro*sin$ his scorn( Atfirst all this seeed to e a ridic*lo*s e,a$$eration- the affectation of a $entlean of

leis*re- a +layf*l sentientality( #*t ! cae to see ore and ore that fro the e+ty

s+aces of his lone )olfishness he act*ally really adired and loed o*r little .o*r$eois

)orld as soethin$ solid and sec*re- as the hoe and +eace )hich *st eer reain far

and *nattaina.le- )ith no road leadin$ fro hi to the( He too1 off his hat to o*r

char)oan- a )orthy +erson- eery tie he et her- )ith $en*ine res+ect: and )hen y

a*nt had any little occasion to tal1 to hi- to dra) his attention- it i$ht .e- to soe

endin$ of his linen or to )arn hi of a .*tton han$in$ loose on his coat- he listened to

her )ith an air of $reat attention and conse6*ence- as tho*$h it )ere only )ith an

e,tree and des+erate effort that he co*ld force his )ay thro*$h any crac1 into o*r little+eacef*l )orld and .e at hoe there- if only for an ho*r(

4*rin$ that ery first conersation- a.o*t the ara*caria- he called hiself the

Ste++en)olf- and this too estran$ed and dist*r.ed e a little( What an e,+ressionno ar.le- no enael- no+l*sh- no .rass? and .efore each his eenin$ $lass of $ood old )ine( Perha+s this

co+any of ha.it*s- all of )ho ! 1ne) .y si$ht- )ere all re$*lar Philistines and had

in their Philistine d)ellin$s their altars of the hoe dedicated to shee+ish idols of

contentent: +erha+s- too- they )ere solitary fello)s )ho had .een sidetrac1ed- 6*iet-

tho*$htf*l to+ers of .an1r*+t ideals- lone )oles and +oor deils li1e e( ! co*ld not

say( Either hoesic1ness or disa++ointent- or need of chan$e dre) the there- the

arried to recoer the atos+here of his .achelor days- the old official to recall his

st*dent years( All of the )ere silent- and all )ere drin1ers )ho )o*ld rather- li1e e-

sit .efore a +int of Elsasser than listen to a Ladies' Orchestra( Here ! cast anchor- for an

ho*r- or it i$ht .e t)o( With the first si+ of Elsasser ! realised that ! had eaten nothin$

that day since y ornin$ roll(

!t is rear1a.le- all that en can s)allo)( For a $ood ten in*tes ! read a

ne)s+a+er( ! allo)ed the s+irit of an irres+onsi.le an )ho che)s and *nches

another's )ords in his o*th- and $ies the o*t a$ain *ndi$ested- to enter into e

thro*$h y eyes( ! a.sor.ed a )hole col*n of it( And then ! deo*red a lar$e +iece c*t

fro the lier of a sla*$htered calf( Odd indeed< The .est )as the Elsasser( ! a not


21/144

fond- for eeryday at least- of racy- heady )ines that diff*se a +otent char and hae

their o)n +artic*lar flaor( What ! li1e the .est is a clean- li$ht- odest co*ntry inta$e

of no s+ecial nae( One can carry +lenty of it and it has the $ood and hoely flaor of

the land- and of earth and s1y and )oods( A +int of Elsasser and a +iece of $ood .read is

the .est of all eals( #y this tie- ho)eer- ! had already eaten y +ortion of lier- an

*n*s*al ind*l$ence for e- as ! seldo eat eat- and the second +int had .een set .eforee( And this too )as odd= that soe)here in a $reen alley ines )ere tended .y $ood-

stron$ fello)s and the )ine +ressed so that here and there in the )orld- far a)ay- a fe)

disa++ointed- 6*ietly drin1in$ to)nsfol1 and dis+irited Ste++en)oles co*ld si+ a little

heart and co*ra$e fro their $lasses(

! didn't really care )hether all this )as odd or not( !t )as $ood- it hel+ed- it raised

y s+irits( As ! tho*$ht a$ain of that ne)s+a+er article and its 9*.le of )ords- a

refreshin$ la*$hter rose in e- and s*ddenly the for$otten elody of those notes of the

+iano cae .ac1 to e a$ain( !t soared aloft li1e a soa+ .*..le- reflectin$ the )hole

)orld in iniat*re on its rain.o) s*rface- and then softly .*rst( Co*ld ! .e alto$etherlost )hen that heaenly little elody had .een secretly rooted )ithin e and no) +*t

forth its loely .loo )ith all its tender h*es; ! i$ht .e a .east astray- )ith no sense of

its enironent- yet there )as soe eanin$ in y foolish life- soethin$ in e $ae

an ans)er and )as the receier of those distant calls fro )orlds far a.oe( !n y .rain

)ere stored a tho*sand +ict*res=

0iotto's floc1 of an$els fro the .l*e a*ltin$ of a little ch*rch in Pad*a- and near

the )al1ed Halet and the $arlanded O+helia- fair siilit*des of all sadness and

is*nderstandin$ in the )orld- and there stood 0iano//o- the aerona*t- in his .*rnin$

.alloon and .le) a .last on his horn- Attila carryin$ his ne) head$ear in his hand- andthe #oro.*d*r reared its soarin$ sc*l+t*re in the air( And tho*$h all these fi$*res lied

in a tho*sand other hearts as )ell- there )ere ten tho*sand ore *n1no)n +ict*res and

t*nes there )hich had no d)ellin$ +lace .*t in e- no eyes to see- no ears to hear the

.*t ine( The old hos+ital )all )ith its $rey8$reen )eatherin$- its crac1s and stains in

)hich a tho*sand frescoes co*ld .e fancied- )ho res+onded to it- )ho loo1ed into its

so*l- )ho loed it- )ho fo*nd the char of its colors eer delicately dyin$ a)ay; The

old .oo1s of the on1s- softly ill*ined )ith their iniat*res- and the .oo1s of the

0eran +oets of t)o h*ndred and a h*ndred years a$o )ho their o)n fol1 hae

for$otten- all the th*.ed and da+8stained ol*es- and the )or1s in +rint andan*scri+ts of the old co+osers- the sto*t and yello)in$ *sic sheets dreain$ their

*sic thro*$h a )inter slee+88)ho heard their s+irited- their ro$*ish and yearnin$ tones-

)ho carried thro*$h a )orld estran$ed fro the a heart f*ll of their s+irit and their

char; Who still ree.ered that slender cy+ress on a hill oer 0*..io- that tho*$h

s+lit and rien .y a fall of stone yet held fast to life and +*t forth )ith its last reso*rces a

ne) s+arse t*ft at to+; Who read .y ni$ht a.oe the Rhine the clo*dscri+t of the driftin$

ists; !t )as the Ste++en)olf( And )ho oer the r*ins of his life +*rs*ed its fleetin$-


22/144

fl*tterin$ si$nificance- )hile he s*ffered its seein$ eanin$lessness and lied its

seein$ adness- and )ho ho+ed in secret at the last t*rn of the la.yrinth of Chaos for

reelation and 0od's +resence;

! held y hand oer y $lass )hen the landlady )anted to fill it once ore- and

$ot *+( ! needed no ore )ine( The $olden trail )as .la/ed and ! )as reinded of the

eternal- and of Mo/art- and the stars( For an ho*r ! co*ld .reathe once ore and lie andface e,istence- )itho*t the need to s*ffer torent- fear- or shae(

A cold )ind )as siftin$ the fine rain as ! )ent o*t into the deserted street( !t droe

the dro+s )ith a +atter a$ainst the streetla+s )here they $liered )ith a $lassy

s+ar1le( And no)- )hither; !f ! had had a a$ic )and at this oent ! sho*ld hae

con9*red *+ a sall and charin$ Lo*is Sei/e *sic roo )here a fe) *sicians

)o*ld hae +layed e t)o or three +ieces of Handel and Mo/art( ! )as in the ery ood

for it- and )o*ld hae si++ed the cool and no.le *sic as $ods si+ nectar( Oh- if ! had

had a friend at this oent- a friend in an attic roo- dreain$ .y candleli$ht and )itha iolin lyin$ ready at his hand< Ho) ! sho*ld hae sli++ed *+ to hi in his 6*iet ho*r-

noiselessly cli.in$ the )indin$ stair to ta1e hi .y s*r+rise- and then )ith tal1 and

*sic )e sho*ld hae held heaenly festial thro*$ho*t the ni$ht< Once- in years $one

.y- ! had often 1no)n s*ch ha++iness- .*t this too tie had ta1en a)ay( Withered years

lay .et)een those days and no)(

! loitered as ! )ended y )ay hoe)ard: t*rned *+ y collar and str*c1 y stic1

on the )et +aeent( Ho)eer lon$ ! lin$ered o*tside ! sho*ld find yself all too soon

in y to+8floor roo- y a1eshift hoe- )hich ! co*ld neither loe nor do )itho*t:

for the tie had $one .y )hen ! co*ld s+end a )et )inter's ni$ht in the o+en( And no)y +rayer )as not to let the $ood ood the eenin$ had $ien e .e s+oiled- neither .y

the rain- nor .y $o*t- nor .y the ara*caria: and tho*$h there )as no cha.er *sic to .e

had nor a lonely friend )ith his iolin- still that loely elody )as in y head and !

co*ld +lay it thro*$h to yself after a fashion- h*in$ the rhyth of it as ! dre) y

.reath( Reflectin$ th*s- ! )al1ed on and on( 7es- een )itho*t the cha.er *sic and

the friend( Ho) foolish to )ear oneself o*t in ain lon$in$ for )arth< Solit*de is

inde+endence( !t had .een y )ish and )ith the years ! had attained it( !t )as cold( Oh-

cold eno*$h< #*t it )as also still- )onderf*lly still and ast li1e the cold stillness of

s+ace in )hich the stars reole(

Fro a dance hall there et e as ! +assed .y the strains of liely 9a// *sic- hot

and ra) as the stea of ra) flesh( ! sto++ed a oent( This 1ind of *sic- *ch as !

detested it- had al)ays had a secret char for e( !t )as re+*$nant to e- and yet ten

ties +refera.le to all the acadeic *sic of the day( For e too- its ra) and saa$e

$aiety reached an *nder)orld of instinct and .reathed a si+le honest sens*ality(

! stood for a oent on the scent- sellin$ this shrill and .lood8ra) *sic-


23/144

sniffin$ the atos+here of the hall an$rily- and han1erin$ after it a little too( One half of

this *sic- the elody- )as all +oade and s*$ar and sentientality( The other half )as

saa$e- te+eraental and i$oro*s( 7et the t)o )ent artlessly )ell to$ether and ade

a )hole( !t )as the *sic of decline( There *st hae .een s*ch *sic in Roe *nder

the later e+erors( Co+ared )ith #ach and Mo/art and real *sic it )as- nat*rally- a

isera.le affair: .*t so )as all o*r art- all o*r tho*$ht- all o*r a1eshift c*lt*re inco+arison )ith real c*lt*re( This *sic )as at least sincere- *nashaedly +riitie

and childishly ha++y( There )as soethin$ of the Ne$ro in it- and soethin$ of the

Aerican- )ho )ith all his stren$th sees so .oyishly fresh and childli1e to *s

E*ro+eans( Was E*ro+e to .ecoe the sae; Was it on the )ay already; Were )e- the

old connoisse*rs- the reerers of E*ro+e as it *sed to .e- of $en*ine *sic and +oetry as

once they )ere- nothin$ .*t a +i$8headed inority s*fferin$ fro a co+le, ne*rosis-

)ho toorro) )o*ld for$et or deride; Was all that )e called c*lt*re- s+irit- so*l- all

that )e called .ea*tif*l and sacred- nothin$ .*t a $host lon$ dead- )hich only a fe)

fools li1e *s too1 for tr*e and liin$; Had it +erha+s indeed neer .een tr*e and liin$;

Had all that )e +oor fools .othered o*r heads a.o*t neer .een anythin$ .*t a +hanto;

! )as no) in the old 6*arter of the to)n( The little ch*rch stood *+ di and $rey

and *nreal( At once the e,+erience of the eenin$ cae .ac1 to e- the ysterio*s

0othic door)ay- the ysterio*s ta.let a.oe it and the ill*inated letters dancin$ in

oc1ery( Ho) did the )ritin$ r*n; "Entrance not for Eery.ody(" And= "For aden

only(" ! scr*tinised the old )all o++osite in the secret ho+e that the a$ic ni$ht i$ht

.e$in a$ain: the )ritin$ inite e- the adan: the little door)ay $ie e adittance(

There +erha+s lay y desire- and there +erha+s )o*ld y *sic .e +layed(

The dar1 stone )all loo1ed .ac1 at e )ith co+os*re- sh*t off in a dee+t)ili$ht- s*n1 in a drea of its o)n( And there )as no $ate)ay any)here and no +ointed

arch: only the dar1 *n.ro1en asonry( With a sile ! )ent on- $iin$ it a friendly nod(

"Slee+ )ell( ! )ill not a)a1e yo*( The tie )ill coe )hen yo* )ill .e +*lled do)n or

+lastered )ith coeto*s adertiseents( #*t for the +resent- there yo* stand- .ea*tif*l

and 6*iet as eer- and ! loe yo* for it("

Fro the .lac1 o*th of an alley a an a++eared )ith startlin$ s*ddenness at y

el.o)- a lone an $oin$ his hoe)ard )ay )ith )eary ste+( He )ore a ca+ and a .l*e

.lo*se- and a.oe his sho*lders he carried a si$n.oard fi,ed on a +ole- and in front of

hi an o+en tray s*s+ended .y stra+s s*ch as +edlars carry at fairs( He )al1ed on

)earily in front of e )itho*t loo1in$ ro*nd( Other)ise ! sho*ld hae .idden hi a

$ood eenin$ and $ien hi a ci$ar( ! tried to read the deice on his standard88a red

si$n.oard on a +ole88in the li$ht of the ne,t la+: .*t it s)ayed to and fro and ! co*ld

deci+her nothin$( Then ! called o*t and as1ed hi to let e read his +lacard( He sto++ed

and held his +ole a little steadier( Then ! co*ld read the dancin$ reelin$ letters=


24/144

ANARCH!ST E@EN!N0 ENTERTA!NMENT

MA0!C THEATER

ENTRANCE NOT FOR E@ER7#O47

"!'e .een loo1in$ for yo*-" ! sho*ted )ith deli$ht( "What is this Eenin$

Entertainent; Where is it; When;"

He )as already )al1in$ on(

"Not for eery.ody-" he said d*lly )ith a slee+y oice( He had had eno*$h( He

)as for hoe- and on he )ent(

"Sto+-" ! cried- and ran after hi( "What hae yo* $ot there in yo*r .o,; ! )ant to

.*y soethin$ fro yo*("

Witho*t sto++in$- the an felt echanically in his .o,- +*lled o*t a little .oo1

and held it o*t to e( ! too1 it 6*ic1ly and +*t it in y +oc1et( While ! felt for the

.*ttons of y coat to $et o*t soe oney- he t*rned in at a door)ay- sh*t the door

.ehind hi and disa++eared( His heay ste+s ran$ on a fla$$ed yard- then on )ooden

stairs: and then ! heard no ore( And s*ddenly ! too felt ery tired( !t cae oer e that

it *st .e ery late88and hi$h tie to $o hoe( ! )al1ed on faster and- follo)in$ the

road to the s*.*r.- ! )as soon in y o)n nei$h.orhood aon$ the )ell81e+t $ardens-

)here in- clean little a+artent ho*ses .ehind la)n and iy are the d)ellin$s ofofficialdo and +eo+le of odest eans( Passin$ the iy and the $rass and the little fir

tree ! reached the door of the ho*se- fo*nd the 1eyhole and the s)itch- sli++ed +ast the

$la/ed doors- and the +olished c*+.oards and the +otted +lants and *nloc1ed the door of

y roo- y little +retence of a hoe- )here the archair and the stoe- the in18+ot

and the +aint8.o,- Noalis and 4ostoies1i- a)aited e 9*st as do the other- or the

)ife- the children- aids- do$s and cats in the case of ore sensi.le +eo+le(

As ! thre) off y )et coat ! cae *+on the little .oo1- and too1 it o*t( !t )as one

of those little .oo1s )retchedly +rinted on )retched +a+er that are sold at fairs- "Were

yo* .orn in 2an*ary;" or "Ho) to .e t)enty years yo*n$er in a )ee1("

Ho)eer- )hen ! settled yself in y archair and +*t on y $lasses- it )as )ith

$reat astonishent and a s*dden sense of i+endin$ fate that ! read the title on the coer

of this co+anion ol*e to fort*ne8tellin$ .oo1lets( "Treatise on the Ste++en)olf( Not

for Eery.ody("

! read the contents at a sittin$ )ith an en$rossin$ interest that dee+ened +a$e .y


25/144

+a$e(

TREAT!SE ON THE STEPPENWOLF

There )as once a an- Harry- called the Ste++en)olf( He )ent on t)o le$s- )ore

clothes and )as a h*an .ein$- .*t neertheless he )as in reality a )olf of the Ste++es(

He had learned a $ood deal of all that +eo+le of a $ood intelli$ence can- and )as a fairly

cleer fello)( What he had not learned- ho)eer- )as this= to find contentent in

hiself and his o)n life( The ca*se of this a++arently )as that at the .otto of his heart

he 1ne) all the tie >or tho*$ht he 1ne)? that he )as in reality not a an- .*t a )olf of

the Ste++es( Cleer en i$ht ar$*e the +oint )hether he tr*ly )as a )olf- )hether- that

is- he had .een chan$ed- .efore .irth +erha+s- fro a )olf into a h*an .ein$- or had

.een $ien the so*l of a )olf- tho*$h .orn as a h*an .ein$: or )hether- on the otherhand- this .elief that he )as a )olf )as no ore than a fancy or a disease of his( !t

i$ht- for e,a+le- .e +ossi.le that in his childhood he )as a little )ild and diso.edient

and disorderly- and that those )ho .ro*$ht hi *+ had declared a )ar of e,tinction

a$ainst the .east in hi: and +recisely this had $ien hi the idea and the .elief that he

)as in fact act*ally a .east )ith only a thin coerin$ of the h*an( On this +oint one

co*ld s+ea1 at len$th and entertainin$ly- and indeed )rite a .oo1 a.o*t it( The

Ste++en)olf- ho)eer- )o*ld .e none the .etter for it- since for hi it )as all one

)hether the )olf had .een .e)itched or .eaten into hi- or )hether it )as erely an

idea of his o)n( What others chose to thin1 a.o*t it or )hat he chose to thin1 hiself)as no $ood to hi at all( !t left the )olf inside hi 9*st the sae(

And so the Ste++en)olf had t)o nat*res- a h*an and a )olfish one( This )as his

fate- and it ay )ell .e that it )as not a ery e,ce+tional one( There *st hae .een

any en )ho hae had a $ood deal of the do$ or the fo,- of the fish or the ser+ent in

the )itho*t e,+eriencin$ any e,traordinary diffic*lties on that acco*nt( !n s*ch cases-

the an and the fish lied on to$ether and neither did the other any har( The one een

hel+ed the other( Many a an indeed has carried this condition to s*ch enia.le len$ths

that he has o)ed his ha++iness ore to the fo, or the a+e in hi than to the an( So

*ch for coon 1no)led$e( !n the case of Harry- ho)eer- it )as 9*st the o++osite( !nhi the an and the )olf did not $o the sae )ay to$ether- .*t )ere in contin*al and

deadly enity( One e,isted si+ly and solely to har the other- and )hen there are t)o

in one .lood and in one so*l )ho are at deadly enity- then life fares ill( Well- to each

his lot- and none is li$ht(

No) )ith o*r Ste++en)olf it )as so that in his conscio*s life he lied no) as a

)olf- no) as a an- as indeed the case is )ith all i,ed .ein$s( #*t- )hen he )as a


26/144

)olf- the an in hi lay in a.*sheer on the )atch to interfere and conden- )hile

at those ties that he )as a an the )olf did 9*st the sae( For e,a+le- if Harry- as

an- had a .ea*tif*l tho*$ht- felt a fine and no.le eotion- or +erfored a so8called

$ood act- then the )olf .ared his teeth at hi and la*$hed and sho)ed hi )ith .itter

scorn ho) la*$ha.le this )hole +antoie )as in the eyes of a .east- of a )olf )ho

1ne) )ell eno*$h in his heart )hat s*ited hi- naely- to trot alone oer the Ste++esand no) and then to $or$e hiself )ith .lood or to +*rs*e a feale )olf( Then-

)olfishly seen- all h*an actiities .ecae horri.ly a.s*rd and is+laced- st*+id and

ain( #*t it )as e,actly the sae )hen Harry felt and .ehaed as a )olf and sho)ed

others his teeth and felt hatred and enity a$ainst all h*an .ein$s and their lyin$ and

de$enerate anners and c*stos( For then the h*an +art of hi lay in a.*sh and

)atched the )olf- called hi .r*te and .east- and s+oiled and e.ittered for hi all

+leas*re in his si+le and healthy and )ild )olf's .ein$(

Th*s it )as then )ith the Ste++en)olf- and one ay )ell ia$ine that Harry did

not hae an e,actly +leasant and ha++y life of it( This does not ean- ho)eer- that he)as *nha++y in any e,traordinary de$ree >altho*$h it ay hae seeed so to hiself all

the sae- inas*ch as eery an ta1es the s*fferin$s that fall to his share as the

$reatest?( That cannot .e said of any an( Een he )ho has no )olf in hi- ay .e none

the ha++ier for that( And een the *nha++iest life has its s*nny oents and its little

flo)ers of ha++iness .et)een sand and stone( So it )as- then- )ith the Ste++en)olf too(

!t cannot .e denied that he )as $enerally ery *nha++y: and he co*ld a1e others

*nha++y also- that is- )hen he loed the or they hi( For all )ho $ot to loe hisa)

al)ays only the one side in hi( Many loed hi as a refined and cleer and interestin$

an- and )ere horrified and disa++ointed )hen they had coe *+on the )olf in hi(

And they had to .eca*se Harry )ished- as eery sentient .ein$ does- to .e loed as a

)hole and therefore it )as 9*st )ith those )hose loe he ost al*ed that he co*ld least

of all conceal and .elie the )olf( There )ere those- ho)eer- )ho loed +recisely the

)olf in hi- the free- the saa$e- the *ntaa.le- the dan$ero*s and stron$- and these

fo*nd it +ec*liarly disa++ointin$ and de+lora.le )hen s*ddenly the )ild and )ic1ed

)olf )as also a an- and had han1erin$s after $oodness and refineent- and )anted to

hear Mo/art- to read +oetry and to cherish h*an ideals( 5s*ally these )ere the ost

disa++ointed and an$ry of all: and so it )as that the Ste++en)olf .ro*$ht his o)n d*al

and diided nat*re into the destinies of others .esides hiself )heneer he cae into

contact )ith the(

No)- )hoeer thin1s that he 1no)s the Ste++en)olf and that he can ia$ine to

hiself his laenta.ly diided life is neertheless in error( He does not 1no) all .y a

lon$ )ay( He does not 1no) that- as there is no r*le )itho*t an e,ce+tion and as one

sinner ay *nder certain circ*stances .e dearer to 0od than ninety and nine ri$hteo*s

+ersons- )ith Harry too there )ere no) and then e,ce+tions and stro1es of $ood l*c1-

and that he co*ld .reathe and thin1 and feel soeties as the )olf- soeties as the


27/144

an- clearly and )itho*t conf*sion of the t)o: and een on ery rare occasions- they

ade +eace and lied for one another in s*ch fashion that not erely did one 1ee+ )atch

)hilst the other sle+t .*t each stren$thened and confired the other( !n the life of this

an- too- as )ell as in all thin$s else in the )orld- daily *se and the acce+ted and

coon 1no)led$e seeed soeties to hae no other ai than to .e arrested no)

and a$ain for an instant- and .ro1en thro*$h- in order to yield the +lace of honor to thee,ce+tional and irac*lo*s( No) )hether these short and occasional ho*rs of ha++iness

.alanced and alleiated the lot of the Ste++en)olf in s*ch a fashion that in the *+shot

ha++iness and s*fferin$ held the scales een- or )hether +erha+s the short .*t intense

ha++iness of those fe) ho*rs o*t)ei$hed all s*fferin$ and left a .alance oer is a$ain a

6*estion oer )hich idle +ersons ay editate to their hearts' content( Een the )olf

.rooded often oer this- and those )ere his idle and *n+rofita.le days(

!n this connection one thin$ ore *st .e said( There are a $ood any +eo+le of

the sae 1ind as Harry( Many artists are of his 1ind( These +ersons all hae t)o so*ls-

t)o .ein$s )ithin the( There is 0od and the deil in the: the other's .lood and thefather's: the ca+acity for ha++iness and the ca+acity for s*fferin$: and in 9*st s*ch a state

of enity and entan$leent to)ards and )ithin each other as )ere the )olf and an in

Harry( And these en- for )ho life has no re+ose- lie at ties in their rare oents

of ha++iness )ith s*ch stren$th and indescri.a.le .ea*ty- the s+ray of their oent's

ha++iness is fl*n$ so hi$h and da//lin$ly oer the )ide sea of s*fferin$- that the li$ht of

it- s+readin$ its radiance- to*ches others too )ith its enchantent( Th*s- li1e a +recio*s-

fleetin$ foa oer the sea of s*fferin$ arise all those )or1s of art- in )hich a sin$le

indiid*al lifts hiself for an ho*r so hi$h a.oe his +ersonal destiny that his ha++iness

shines li1e a star and a++ears to all )ho see it as soethin$ eternal and as a ha++iness of

their o)n( All these en- )hateer their deeds and )or1s ay .e- hae really no life:

that is to say- their lies are not their o)n and hae no for( They are not heroes- artists

or thin1ers in the sae )ay that other en are 9*d$es- doctors- shoea1ers- or

schoolasters( Their life consists of a +er+et*al tide- *nha++y and torn )ith +ain-

terri.le and eanin$less- *nless one is ready to see its eanin$ in 9*st those rare

e,+eriences- acts- tho*$hts and )or1s that shine o*t a.oe the chaos of s*ch a life( To

s*ch en the des+erate and horri.le tho*$ht has coe that +erha+s the )hole of h*an

life is .*t a .ad 9o1e- a iolent and ill8fated a.ortion of the +rial other- a saa$e and

disal catastro+he of nat*re( To the- too- ho)eer- the other tho*$ht has coe that

an is +erha+s not erely a half8rational anial .*t a child of the $ods and destined toiortality(

Men of eery 1ind hae their characteristics- their feat*res- their irt*es and ices

and their deadly sins( Pro)lin$ a.o*t at ni$ht )as one of the Ste++en)olf's faorite

tendencies( The ornin$ )as a )retched tie of day for hi( He feared it and it neer

.ro*$ht hi any $ood( On no ornin$ of his life had he eer .een in $ood s+irits nor

done any $ood .efore idday- nor eer had a ha++y idea- nor deised any +leas*re for


28/144

hiself or others( #y de$rees d*rin$ the afternoon he )ared and .ecae alie- and

only to)ards eenin$- on his $ood days- )as he +rod*ctie- actie and- soeties-

a$lo) )ith 9oy( With this )as .o*nd *+ his need for loneliness and inde+endence( There

)as neer a an )ith a dee+er and ore +assionate crain$ for inde+endence than he(

!n his yo*th )hen he )as +oor and had diffic*lty in earnin$ his .read- he +referred to $o

h*n$ry and in torn clothes rather than endan$er his narro) liit of inde+endence( Heneer sold hiself for oney or an easy life or to )oen or to those in +o)er: and had

thro)n a)ay a h*ndred ties )hat in the )orld's eyes )as his adanta$e and ha++iness

in order to safe$*ard his li.erty( No +ros+ect )as ore hatef*l and distastef*l to hi

than that he sho*ld hae to $o to an office and confor to daily and yearly ro*tine and

o.ey others( He hated all 1inds of offices- $oernental or coercial- as he hated

death- and his )orst ni$htare )as confineent in .arrac1s( He contried- often at $reat

sacrifice- to aoid all s*ch +redicaents( !t )as here that his stren$th and his irt*e

rested( On this +oint he co*ld neither .e .ent nor .ri.ed( Here his character )as fir and

indeflecta.le( Only- thro*$h this irt*e- he )as .o*nd the closer to his destiny of

s*fferin$( !t ha++ened to hi as it does to all: )hat he stroe for )ith the dee+est andost st*..orn instinct of his .ein$ fell to his lot- .*t ore than is $ood for en( !n the

.e$innin$ his drea and his ha++iness- in the end it )as his .itter fate( The an of

+o)er is r*ined .y +o)er- the an of oney .y oney- the s*.issie an .y

s*.serience- the +leas*re see1er .y +leas*re( He achieed his ai( He )as eer ore

inde+endent( He too1 orders fro no an and ordered his )ays to s*it no an(

!nde+endently and alone- he decided )hat to do and to leae *ndone( For eery stron$

an attains to that )hich a $en*ine i+*lse .ids hi see1( #*t in the idst of the

freedo he had attained Harry s*ddenly .ecae a)are that his freedo )as a death and

that he stood alone( The )orld in an *ncanny fashion left hi in +eace( Other enconcerned hi no lon$er( He )as not een concerned a.o*t hiself( He .e$an to

s*ffocate slo)ly in the ore and ore rarefied atos+here of reoteness and solit*de(

For no) it )as his )ish no lon$er- nor his ai- to .e alone and inde+endent- .*t rather

his lot and his sentence( The a$ic )ish had .een f*lfilled and co*ld not .e cancelled-

and it )as no $ood no) to o+en his ars )ith lon$in$ and $ood)ill to )elcoe the

.onds of society( Peo+le left hi alone no)( !t )as not- ho)eer- that he )as an o.9ect

of hatred and re+*$nance( On the contrary- he had any friends( A $reat any +eo+le

li1ed hi( #*t it )as no ore than sy+athy and friendliness( He receied initations-

+resents- +leasant letters: .*t no ore( No one cae near to hi( There )as no lin1 left-

and no one co*ld hae had any +art in his life een had anyone )ished it( For the air oflonely en s*rro*nded hi no)- a still atos+here in )hich the )orld aro*nd hi

sli++ed a)ay- leain$ hi inca+a.le of relationshi+- an atos+here a$ainst )hich

neither )ill nor lon$in$ aailed( This )as one of the si$nificant earar1s of his life(

Another )as that he )as n*.ered aon$ the s*icides( And here it *st .e said

that to call s*icides only those )ho act*ally destroy theseles is false( Aon$ these-

indeed- there are any )ho in a sense are s*icides only .y accident and in )hose .ein$


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s*icide has no necessary +lace( Aon$ the coon r*n of en there are any of little

+ersonality and sta+ed )ith no dee+ i+ress of fate- )ho find their end in s*icide

)itho*t .elon$in$ on that acco*nt to the ty+e of the s*icide .y inclination: )hile on the

other hand- of those )ho are to .e co*nted as s*icides .y the ery nat*re of their .ein$s

are any- +erha+s a a9ority- )ho neer in fact lay hands on theseles( The "s*icide-"

and Harry )as one- need not necessarily lie in a +ec*liarly close relationshi+ to death(One ay do this )itho*t .ein$ a s*icide( What is +ec*liar to the s*icide is that his e$o-

ri$htly or )ron$ly- is felt to .e an e,treely dan$ero*s- d*.io*s- and dooed $er of

nat*re: that he is al)ays in his o)n eyes e,+osed to an e,traordinary ris1- as tho*$h he

stood )ith the sli$htest foothold on the +ea1 of a cra$ )hence a sli$ht +*sh fro )itho*t

or an instant's )ea1ness fro )ithin s*ffices to +reci+itate hi into the oid( The line of

fate in the case of these en is ar1ed .y the .elief they hae that s*icide is their ost

+ro.a.le anner of death( !t i$ht .e +res*ed that s*ch te+eraents- )hich *s*ally

anifest theseles in early yo*th and +ersist thro*$h life- sho) a sin$*lar defect of

ital force( On the contrary- aon$ the "s*icides" are to .e fo*nd *n*s*ally tenacio*s

and ea$er and also hardy nat*res( #*t 9*st as there are those )ho at the leastindis+osition deelo+ a feer- so do those )ho )e call s*icides- and )ho are al)ays

ery eotional and sensitie- deelo+ at the least shoc1 the notion of s*icide( Had )e a

science )ith the co*ra$e and a*thority to concern itself )ith an1ind- instead of )ith

the echanis erely of ital +henoena- had )e soethin$ of the nat*re of an

anthro+olo$y- or a +sycholo$y- these atters of fact )o*ld .e failiar to eery one(

What )as said a.oe on the s*.9ect of s*icides to*ches o.io*sly nothin$ .*t the

s*rface( !t is +sycholo$y- and- therefore- +artly +hysics( Meta+hysically considered- the

atter has a different and a *ch clearer as+ect( !n this as+ect s*icides +resent

theseles as those )ho are oerta1en .y the sense of $*ilt inherent in indiid*als-

these so*ls that find the ai of life not in the +erfectin$ and oldin$ of the self- .*t in

li.eratin$ theseles .y $oin$ .ac1 to the other- .ac1 to 0od- .ac1 to the all( Many of

these nat*res are )holly inca+a.le of eer hain$ reco*rse to real s*icide- .eca*se they

hae a +rofo*nd conscio*sness of the sin of doin$ so( For *s they are s*icides

nonetheless: for they see death and not life as the releaser( They are ready to cast

theseles a)ay in s*rrender- to .e e,tin$*ished and to $o .ac1 to the .e$innin$(

As eery stren$th ay .ecoe a )ea1ness >and *nder soe circ*stances *st?

soon the contrary- ay the ty+ical s*icide find a stren$th and a s*++ort in his a++arent)ea1ness( !ndeed- he does so ore often than not( The case of Harry- the Ste++en)olf-

is one of these( As tho*sands of his li1e do- he fo*nd consolation and s*++ort- and not

erely the elancholy +lay of yo*thf*l fancy- in the idea that the )ay to death )as o+en

to hi at any oent( !t is tr*e that )ith hi- as )ith all en of his 1ind- eery shoc1-

eery +ain- eery *nto)ard +redicaent at once called forth the )ish to find an esca+e

in death( #y de$rees- ho)eer- he fashioned for hiself o*t of this tendency a

+hiloso+hy that )as act*ally sericea.le to life( He $ained stren$th thro*$h failiarity


30/144

)ith the tho*$ht that the eer$ency e,it stood al)ays o+en- and .ecae c*rio*s- too- to

taste his s*fferin$ to the dre$s( !f it )ent too .adly )ith hi he co*ld feel soeties

)ith a $ri alicio*s +leas*re= "! a c*rio*s to see all the sae 9*st ho) *ch a an

can end*re( !f the liit of )hat is .eara.le is reached- ! hae only to o+en the door to

esca+e(" There are a $reat any s*icides to )ho this tho*$ht i+arts an *ncoon

stren$th(On the other hand- all s*icides hae the res+onsi.ility of fi$htin$ a$ainst the

te+tation of s*icide( Eery one of the 1no)s ery )ell in soe corner of his so*l that

s*icide- tho*$h a )ay o*t- is rather a ean and sha..y one- and that it is no.ler and

finer to .e con6*ered .y life than to fall .y one's o)n hand( 3no)in$ this- )ith a

or.id conscience )hose so*rce is *ch the sae as that of the ilitant conscience of

so8called self8contented +ersons- the a9ority of s*icides are left to a +rotracted str*$$le

a$ainst their te+tation( They str*$$le as the 1le+toaniac a$ainst his o)n ice( The

Ste++en)olf )as not *nfailiar )ith this str*$$le( He had en$a$ed in it )ith any a

chan$e of )ea+ons( Finally- at the a$e of forty8seen or therea.o*ts- a ha++y and not*nh*oro*s idea cae to hi fro )hich he often deried soe a*seent( He

a++ointed his fiftieth .irthday as the day on )hich he i$ht allo) hiself to ta1e his

o)n life( On this day- accordin$ to his ood- so he a$reed )ith hiself- it sho*ld .e

o+en to hi to e+loy the eer$ency e,it or not( Let ha++en to hi )hat i$ht- illness-

+oerty- s*fferin$ and .itterness- there )as a tie8liit( !t co*ld not e,tend .eyond

these fe) years- onths- days )hose n*.er daily diinished( And in fact he .ore

*ch adersity- )hich +reio*sly )o*ld hae cost hi seerer and lon$er tort*res and

sha1en hi +erha+s to the roots of his .ein$- ery *ch ore easily( When for any

reason it )ent +artic*larly .adly )ith hi- )hen +ec*liar +ains and +enalties )ere added

to the desolateness and loneliness and saa$ery of his life- he co*ld say to his

torentors= "Only )ait- t)o years and ! a yo*r aster(" And )ith this he cherished the

tho*$ht of the ornin$ of his fiftieth .irthday( Letters of con$rat*lation )o*ld arrie-

)hile he- relyin$ on his ra/or- too1 leae of all his +ains and closed the door .ehind hi(

Then $o*t in the 9oints- de+ression of s+irits- and all +ains of head and .ody co*ld loo1

for another icti(

B B B B B B B

!t still reains to el*cidate the Ste++en)olf as an isolated +henoenon- in his

relation- for e,a+le- to the .o*r$eois )orld- so that his sy+tos ay .e traced to

their so*rce( Let *s ta1e as a startin$ +oint- since it offers itself- his relation to the

.o*r$eoisie(


31/144

To ta1e his o)n ie) of the atter- the Ste++en)olf stood entirely o*tside the

)orld of conention- since he had neither faily life nor social a.itions( He felt

hiself to .e sin$le and alone- )hether as a 6*eer fello) and a herit in +oor health- or

as a +erson reoed fro the coon r*n of en .y the +rero$atie of talents that had

soethin$ of $eni*s in the( 4eli.erately- he loo1ed do)n *+on the ordinary an and

)as +ro*d that he )as not one( Neertheless his life in any as+ects )as thoro*$hlyordinary( He had oney in the .an1 and s*++orted +oor relations( He )as dressed

res+ecta.ly and incons+ic*o*sly- een tho*$h )itho*t +artic*lar care( He )as $lad to

lie on $ood ters )ith the +olice and the ta, collectors and other s*ch +o)ers( #esides

this- he )as secretly and +ersistently attracted to the little .o*r$eois )orld- to those 6*iet

and res+ecta.le hoes )ith tidy $ardens- irre+roacha.le stair8cases and their )hole

odest air of order and cofort( !t +leased hi to set hiself o*tside it- )ith his little

ices and e,traa$ances- as a 6*eer fello) or a $eni*s- .*t he neer had his doicile in

those +roinces of life )here the .o*r$eoisie had ceased to e,ist( He )as not at ease

)ith iolent and e,ce+tional +ersons or )ith criinals and o*tla)s- and he too1 *+ his

a.ode al)ays aon$ the iddle classes- )ith )hose ha.its and standards andatos+here he stood in a constant relation- een tho*$h it i$ht .e one of contrast and

reolt( Moreoer- he had .een .ro*$ht *+ in a +roincial and conentional hoe and

any of the notions and *ch of the e,a+les of those days had neer left hi( !n

theory he had nothin$ )hateer a$ainst the serant class- yet in +ractice it )o*ld hae

.een .eyond hi to ta1e a serant 6*ite serio*sly as his e6*al( He )as ca+a.le of loin$

the +olitical criinal- the reol*tionary or intellect*al sed*cer- the o*tla) of state and

society- as his .rother- .*t as for theft and ro..ery- *rder and ra+e- .e )o*ld not hae

1no)n ho) to de+lore the other)ise than in a thoro*$hly .o*r$eois anner(

!n this )ay he )as al)ays reco$nisin$ and affirin$ )ith one half of hiself- in

tho*$ht and act- )hat )ith the other half he fo*$ht a$ainst and denied( #ro*$ht *+- as he

)as- in a c*ltiated hoe in the a++roed anner- he neer tore +art of his so*l loose

fro its conentionalities een after he had lon$ since indiid*alised hiself to a de$ree

.eyond its sco+e and freed hiself fro the s*.stance of its ideals and .eliefs(

No) )hat )e call ".o*r$eois-" )hen re$arded as an eleent al)ays to .e fo*nd

in h*an life- is nothin$ else than the search for a .alance( !t is the striin$ after a ean

.et)een the co*ntless e,trees and o++osites that arise in h*an cond*ct( !f )e ta1e

any one of these co*+led o++osites- s*ch as +iety and +rofli$acy- the analo$y isiediately co+rehensi.le( !t is o+en to a an to $ie hiself *+ )holly to s+irit*al

ie)s- to see1in$ after 0od- to the ideal of saintliness( On the other hand- he can e6*ally

$ie hiself *+ entirely to the life of instinct- to the l*sts of the flesh- and so direct all

his efforts to the attainent of oentary +leas*res( The one +ath leads to the saint- to

the artyrdo of the s+irit and s*rrender to 0od( The other +ath leads to the +rofli$ate-

to the artyrdo of the flesh- the s*rrender to corr*+tion( No) it is .et)een the t)o- in

the iddle of the road- that the .o*r$eois see1s to )al1( He )ill neer s*rrender hiself


32/144

either to l*st or to asceticis( He )ill neer .e a artyr or a$ree to his o)n destr*ction(

On the contrary- his ideal is not to $ie *+ .*t to aintain his o)n identity( He stries

neither for the saintly nor its o++osite( The a.sol*te is his a.horrence( He ay .e ready

to sere 0od- .*t not .y $iin$ *+ the flesh+ots( He is ready to .e irt*o*s- .*t li1es to

.e easy and coforta.le in this )orld as )ell( !n short- his ai is to a1e a hoe for

hiself .et)een t)o e,trees in a te+erate /one )itho*t iolent stors and te+ests:and in this he s*cceeds tho*$h it .e at the cost of that intensity of life and feelin$ )hich

an e,tree life affords( A an cannot lie intensely e,ce+t at the cost of the self( No)

the .o*r$eois treas*res nothin$ ore hi$hly than the self >r*dientary as his ay .e?(

And so at the cost of intensity he achiees his o)n +reseration and sec*rity( His harest

is a 6*iet ind )hich he +refers to .ein$ +ossessed .y 0od- as he does cofort to

+leas*re- conenience to li.erty- and a +leasant te+erat*re to that deathly inner

cons*in$ fire( The .o*r$eois is conse6*ently .y nat*re a creat*re of )ea1 i+*lses-

an,io*s- fearf*l of $iin$ hiself a)ay and easy to r*le( Therefore- he has s*.stit*ted

a9ority for +o)er- la) for force- and the +ollin$ .ooth for res+onsi.ility(

!t is clear that this )ea1 and an,io*s .ein$- in )hateer n*.ers he e,ists- cannot

aintain hiself- and that 6*alities s*ch as his can +lay no other role in the )orld than

that of a herd of shee+ aon$ free roin$ )oles( 7et )e see that- tho*$h in ties )hen

coandin$ nat*res are *++erost- the .o*r$eois $oes at once to the )all- he neer

$oes *nder: indeed at ties he een a++ears to r*le the )orld( Ho) is this +ossi.le;

Neither the $reat n*.ers of the herd- nor irt*e- nor coon sense- nor or$ani/ation

co*ld aail to sae it fro destr*ction( No edicine in the )orld can 1ee+ a +*lse

.eatin$ that fro the o*tset )as so )ea1( Neertheless the .o*r$eoisie +ros+ers( Why;

The ans)er r*ns= #eca*se of the Ste++en)oles( !n fact- the ital force of the.o*r$eoisie resides .y no eans in the 6*alities of its noral e.ers- .*t in those of

its e,treely n*ero*s "o*tsiders" )ho .y irt*e of the e,tensieness and elasticity of

its ideals it can e.race( There is al)ays a lar$e n*.er of stron$ and )ild nat*res )ho

share the life of the fold( O*r Ste++en)olf- Harry- is a characteristic e,a+le( He )ho is

deelo+ed far .eyond the leel +ossi.le to the .o*r$eois- he )ho 1no)s the .liss of

editation no less than the $looy 9oys of hatred and self8hatred- he )ho des+ises la)-

irt*e and coon sense- is neertheless ca+tie to the .o*r$eoisie and cannot esca+e

it( And so all thro*$h the ass of the real .o*r$eoisie are inter+osed n*ero*s layers of

h*anity- any tho*sands of lies and inds- eery one of )ho- it is tr*e- )o*ld haeo*t$ro)n it and hae o.eyed the call to *nconditioned life- )ere they not fastened to it

.y sentients of their childhood and infected for the ost +art )ith its less intense life:

and so they are 1e+t lin$erin$- o.edient and .o*nd .y o.li$ation and serice( For )ith

the .o*r$eoisie the o++osite of the for*la for the $reat is tr*e= He )ho is not a$ainst

e is )ith e(

!f )e no) +a*se to test the so*l of the Ste++en)olf- )e find hi distinct fro the


33/144


34/144


35/144

and if )e a++eared to acce+t )itho*t scr*tiny this lie )hich he inented for hiself and

.eliees in- and tried to re$ard hi literally as a t)o8fold .ein$ and a Ste++en)olf- and

so desi$nated hi- it )as erely in the ho+e of .ein$ ore easily *nderstood )ith the

assistance of a del*sion- )hich )e *st no) endeaor to +*t in its tr*e li$ht(

The diision into )olf and an- flesh and s+irit- .y eans of )hich Harry tries to

a1e his destiny ore co+rehensi.le to hiself is a ery $reat si+lification( !t is aforcin$ of the tr*th to s*it a +la*si.le- .*t erroneo*s- e,+lanation of that contradiction

)hich this an discoers in hiself and )hich a++ears to hiself to .e the so*rce of his

.y no eans ne$li$i.le s*fferin$s( Harry finds in hiself a h*an .ein$- that is to say- a

)orld of tho*$hts and feelin$s- of c*lt*re and taed or s*.liated nat*re- and .esides

this he finds )ithin hiself also a )olf- that is to say- a dar1 )orld of instinct- of

saa$ery and cr*elty- of *ns*.liated or ra) nat*re( !n s+ite of this a++arently clear

diision of his .ein$ .et)een t)o s+heres- hostile to one another- he has 1no)n ha++y

oents no) and then )hen the an and the )olf for a short )hile )ere reconciled

)ith one another( S*++ose that Harry tried to ascertain in any sin$le oent of his life-any sin$le act- )hat +art the an had in it and )hat +art the )olf- he )o*ld find hiself

at once in a dilea- and his )hole .ea*tif*l )olf8theory )o*ld $o to +ieces( For there

is not a sin$le h*an .ein$- not een the +riitie Ne$ro- not een the idiot- )ho is so

coneniently si+le that his .ein$ can .e e,+lained as the s* of t)o or three +rinci+al

eleents: and to e,+lain so co+le, a an as Harry .y the artless diision into )olf and

an is a ho+elessly childish atte+t( Harry consists of a h*ndred or a tho*sand seles-

not of t)o( His life oscillates- as eeryone's does- not erely .et)een t)o +oles- s*ch as

the .ody and the s+irit- the saint and the sinner- .*t .et)een tho*sand and tho*sands(

We need not .e s*r+rised that een so intelli$ent and ed*cated a an as Harrysho*ld ta1e hiself for a Ste++en)olf and red*ce the rich and co+le, or$anis of his

life to a for*la so si+le- so r*dientary and +riitie( Man is not ca+a.le of tho*$ht

in any hi$h de$ree- and een the ost s+irit*al and hi$hly c*ltiated of en ha.it*ally

sees the )orld and hiself thro*$h the lenses of del*sie for*las and artless

si+lifications88and ost of all hiself( For it a++ears to .e an in.orn and i+eratie

need of all en to re$ard the self as a *nit( Ho)eer often and ho)eer $rieo*sly this

ill*sion is shattered- it al)ays ends a$ain( The 9*d$e )ho sits oer the *rderer and

loo1s into his face- and at one oent reco$ni/es all the eotions and +otentialities and

+ossi.ilities of the *rderer in his o)n so*l and hears the *rderer's oice as his o)n-is at the ne,t oent one and indiisi.le as the 9*d$e- and sc*ttles .ac1 into the shell of

his c*ltiated self and does his d*ty and condens the *rderer to death( And if eer the

s*s+icion of their anifold .ein$ da)ns *+on en of *n*s*al +o)ers and of *n*s*ally

delicate +erce+tions- so that- as all $eni*s *st- they .rea1 thro*$h the ill*sion of the

*nity of the +ersonality and +erceie that the self is ade *+ of a .*ndle of seles- they

hae only to say so and at once the a9ority +*ts the *nder loc1 and 1ey- calls science

to aid- esta.lishes schi/oania and +rotects h*anity fro the necessity of hearin$ the


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cry of tr*th fro the li+s of these *nfort*nate +ersons( Why then )aste )ords- )hy *tter

a thin$ that eery thin1in$ an acce+ts as self8eident- )hen the ere *tterance of it is a

.reach of taste; A an- therefore- )ho $ets so far as a1in$ the s*++osed *nity of the

self t)o8fold is already alost a $eni*s- in any case a ost e,ce+tional and interestin$

+erson( !n reality- ho)eer- eery e$o- so far fro .ein$ a *nity is in the hi$hest de$ree

a anifold )orld- a constellated heaen- a chaos of fors- of states and sta$es- ofinheritances and +otentialities( !t a++ears to .e a necessity as i+eratie as eatin$ and

.reathin$ for eeryone to .e forced to re$ard this chaos as a *nity and to s+ea1 of his

e$o as tho*$h it )ere a one8fold and clearly detached and fi,ed +henoenon( Een the

.est of *s shares the del*sion(

The del*sion rests si+ly *+on a false analo$y( As a .ody eeryone is sin$leas a

so*l neer( !n literat*re- too- een in its *ltiate achieeent- )e find this c*stoary

concern )ith a++arently )hole and sin$le +ersonalities( Of all literat*re *+ to o*r days

the draa has .een the ost hi$hly +ri/ed .y )riters and critics- and ri$htly- since it

offers >or i$ht offer? the $reatest +ossi.ilities of re+resentin$ the e$o as a anifoldentity- .*t for the o+tical ill*sion )hich a1es *s .eliee that the characters of the +lay

are one8fold entities .y lod$in$ each one in an *ndenia.le .ody- sin$ly- se+arately and

once and for all( An artless esthetic criticis- then- 1ee+s its hi$hest +raise for this so8

called character8draa in )hich each character a1es his a++earance *nista1a.ly as a

se+arate and sin$le entity( Only fro afar and .y de$rees the s*s+icion da)ns here and

there that all this is +erha+s a chea+ and s*+erficial esthetic +hiloso+hy- and that )e

a1e a ista1e in attri.*tin$ to o*r $reat draatists those a$nificent conce+tions of

.ea*ty that coe to *s fro anti6*ity( These conce+tions are not natie to *s- .*t are

erely +ic1ed *+ at second hand- and it is in the- )ith their coon so*rce in the

isi.le .ody- that the ori$in of the fiction of an e$o- an indiid*al- is really to .e fo*nd(

There is no trace of s*ch a notion in the +oes of ancient !ndia( The heroes of the e+ics

of !ndia are not indiid*als- .*t )hole reels of indiid*alities in a series of incarnations(

And in odern ties there are +oes- in )hich- .ehind the eil of a concern )ith

indiid*ality and character that is scarcely- indeed- in the a*thor's ind- the otie is to

+resent a anifold actiity of so*l( Whoeer )ishes to reco$ni/e this *st resole once

and for all not to re$ard the characters of s*ch a +oe as se+arate .ein$s- .*t as the

ario*s facets and as+ects of a hi$her *nity- in y o+inion- of the +oet's so*l( !f "Fa*st"

is treated in this )ay- Fa*st- Me+histo+heles- Wa$ner and the rest for a *nity and a

s*+ree indiid*ality: and it is in this hi$her *nity alone- not in the seeral characters-that soethin$ of the tr*e nat*re of the so*l is reealed( When Fa*st- in a line

iortali/ed aon$ schoolasters and $reeted )ith a sh*dder of astonishent .y the

Philistine- says= "T)o so*ls- alas- do d)ell )ithin y .reast


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onion ade *+ of a h*ndred inte$*ents- a te,t*re ade *+ of any threads( The

ancient Asiatics 1ne) this )ell eno*$h- and in the #*ddhist 7o$a an e,act techni6*e

)as deised for *nas1in$ the ill*sion of the +ersonality( The h*an erry8$o8ro*nd

sees any chan$es= the ill*sion that cost !ndia the efforts of tho*sands of years to

*nas1 is the sae ill*sion that the West has la.ored 9*st as hard to aintain and

stren$then(!f )e consider the Ste++en)olf fro this stand+oint it )ill .e clear to *s )hy he

s*ffered so *ch *nder his l*dicro*s d*al +ersonality( He .eliees- li1e Fa*st- that t)o

so*ls are far too any for a sin$le .reast and *st tear the .reast as*nder( They are on

the contrary far too fe)- and Harry does shoc1in$ iolence to his +oor so*l )hen he

endeaors to a++rehend it .y eans of so +riitie an ia$e( Altho*$h he is a ost

c*ltiated +erson- he +roceeds li1e a saa$e that cannot co*nt f*rther than t)o( He calls

hiself +art )olf- +art an- and )ith that he thin1s (he has coe to an end and

e,ha*sted the atter( With the "an" he +ac1s in eerythin$ s+irit*al and s*.liated or

een c*ltiated to .e fo*nd in hiself- and )ith the )olf all that is instinctie- saa$eand chaotic( #*t thin$s are not so si+le in life as in o*r tho*$hts- nor so ro*$h and

ready as in o*r +oor idiotic lan$*a$e: and Harry lies a.o*t hiself t)ice oer )hen he

e+loys this ni$$ardly )olf8theory( He assi$ns- )e fear- )hole +roinces of his so*l to

the "an" )hich are a lon$ )ay fro .ein$ h*an- and +arts of his .ein$ to the )olf

that lon$ a$o hae left the )olf .ehind(

Li1e all en Harry .eliees that he 1no)s ery )ell )hat an is and yet does not

1no) at all- altho*$h in dreas and other states not s*.9ect to control he often has his

s*s+icions( !f only he i$ht not for$et the- .*t 1ee+ the- as far as +ossi.le at least-

for his o)n( Man is not .y any eans of fi,ed and end*rin$ for >this- in s+ite ofs*s+icions to the contrary on the +art of their )ise en- )as the ideal of the ancients?(

He is *ch ore an e,+erient and a transition( He is nothin$ else than the narro) and

+erilo*s .rid$e .et)een nat*re and s+irit( His innerost destiny dries hi on to the

s+irit and to 0od( His innerost lon$in$ dra)s hi .ac1 to nat*re- the other( #et)een

the t)o forces his life han$s tre*lo*s and irresol*te( "Man-" )hateer +eo+le thin1 of

hi- is neer anythin$ ore than a te+orary .o*r$eois co+roise( Conention

re9ects and .ans certain of the ore na1ed instincts- a little conscio*sness- orality and

de.estiali/ation is called for- and a odic* of s+irit is not only +eritted .*t een

tho*$ht necessary( The "an" of this concordat- li1e eery other .o*r$eois ideal- is aco+roise- a tiid and artlessly sly e,+erient- )ith the ai of cheatin$ .oth the

an$ry +rial other Nat*re and the tro*.lesoe +rial father S+irit of their +ressin$

clais- and of liin$ in a te+erate /one .et)een the t)o of the( For this reason the

.o*r$eois today .*rns as heretics and han$s as criinals those to )ho he erects

on*ents toorro)(

That an is not yet a finished creation .*t rather a challen$e of the s+irit: a distant


38/144

+ossi.ility dreaded as *ch as it is desired: that the )ay to)ards it has only .een

coered for a ery short distance and )ith terri.le a$onies and ecstasies een .y those

fe) for )ho it is the scaffold today and the on*ent toorro)88all this the

Ste++en)olf- too- s*s+ected( What- ho)eer- he calls the "an" in hiself- as o++osed

to the )olf- is to a $reat e,tent nothin$ else than this ery sae aera$e an of the

.o*r$eois conention(As for the )ay to tr*e anhood- the )ay to the iortals- he has- it is tr*e- an

in1lin$ of it and starts *+on it no) and then for a fe) hesitatin$ ste+s and +ays for the

)ith *ch s*fferin$ and any +an$s of loneliness( #*t as for striin$ )ith ass*rance- in

res+onse to that s*+ree deand- to)ards the $en*ine anhood of the s+irit- and $oin$

the one narro) )ay to iortality- he is dee+ly afraid of it( He 1no)s too )ell that it

leads to still $reater s*fferin$s- to +roscri+tion- to the last ren*nciation- +erha+s to the

scaffold- and een tho*$h the enticeent of iortality lies at the 9o*rney's end- he is

still *n)illin$ to s*ffer all these s*fferin$s and to die all these deaths( Tho*$h the $oal

of anhood is .etter 1no)n to hi than to the .o*r$eois- still he sh*ts his eyes( He isresoled to for$et that the des+erate clin$in$ to the self and the des+erate clin$in$ to life

are the s*rest )ay to eternal death- )hile the +o)er to die- to stri+ one's self na1ed- and

the eternal s*rrender of the self .rin$ iortality )ith the( When he )orshi+s his

faorites aon$ the iortals- Mo/art- +erchance- he al)ays loo1s at hi in the lon$

r*n thro*$h .o*r$eois eyes( His tendency is to e,+lain Mo/art's +erfected .ein$- 9*st as

a schoolaster )o*ld- as a s*+ree and s+ecial $ift rather than as the o*tcoe of his

iense +o)ers of s*rrender and s*fferin$- of his indifference to the ideals of the

.o*r$eois- and of his +atience *nder that last e,treity of loneliness )hich rarefies the

atos+here of the .o*r$eois )orld to an ice8cold ether- aro*nd those )ho s*ffer to

.ecoe en- that loneliness of the 0arden of 0ethseane(

This Ste++en)olf of o*rs has al)ays .een a)are of at least the Fa*stian t)o8fold

nat*re )ithin hi( He has discoered that the one8fold of the .ody is not inha.ited .y a

one8fold of the so*l- and that at .est he is only at the .e$innin$ of a lon$ +il$ria$e

to)ards this ideal harony( He )o*ld li1e either to oercoe the )olf and .ecoe

)holly an or to reno*nce an1ind and at last to lie )holly a )olf's life( !t ay .e

+res*ed that he has neer caref*lly )atched a real )olf( Had he done so he )o*ld hae

seen- +erha+s- that een anials are not *ndiided in s+irit( With the- too- the )ell81nit

.ea*ty of the .ody hides a .ein$ of anifold states and striin$s( The )olf- too- has hisa.ysses( The )olf- too- s*ffers( No- .ac1 to nat*re is a false trac1 that leads no)here .*t

to s*fferin$ and des+air( Harry can neer t*rn .ac1 a$ain and .ecoe )holly )olf- and

co*ld he do so he )o*ld find that een the )olf is not of +rieal si+licity- .*t already

a creat*re of anifold co+le,ity( Een the )olf has t)o- and ore than t)o- so*ls in

his )olf's .reast- and he )ho desires to .e a )olf falls into the sae for$etf*lness as the

an )ho sin$s= "!f ! co*ld .e a child once ore


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has 6*ite for$otten that these .lessed children are .eset )ith conflict and co+le,ities

and ca+a.le of all s*fferin$(

There is- in fact- no )ay .ac1 either to the )olf or to the child( Fro the ery start

there is no innocence and no sin$leness( Eery created thin$- een the si+lest- is

already $*ilty- already *lti+le( !t has .een thro)n into the *ddy strea of .ein$ and

ay neer ore s)i .ac1 a$ain to its so*rce( The )ay to innocence- to the *ncreatedand to 0od leads on- not .ac1- not .ac1 to the )olf or to the child- .*t eer f*rther into

sin- eer dee+er into h*an life( Nor )ill s*icide really sole yo*r +ro.le- *nha++y

Ste++en)olf( 7o* )ill- instead- e.ar1 on the lon$er and )earier and harder road of

life( 7o* )ill hae to *lti+ly any ties yo*r t)o8fold .ein$ and co+licate yo*r

co+le,ities still f*rther( !nstead of narro)in$ yo*r )orld and si+lifyin$ yo*r so*l-

yo* )ill hae to a.sor. ore and ore of the )orld and at last ta1e all of it *+ in yo*r

+ainf*lly e,+anded so*l- if yo* are eer to find +eace( This is the road that #*ddha and

eery $reat an has $one- )hether conscio*sly or not- insofar as fort*ne faored his

6*est( All .irths ean se+aration fro the All- the confineent )ithin liitation- these+aration fro 0od- the +an$s of .ein$ .orn eer ane)( The ret*rn into the All- the

dissol*tion of +ainf*l indiid*ation- the re*nion )ith 0od eans the e,+ansion of the

so*l *ntil it is a.le once ore to e.race the All(

We are not dealin$ here )ith an as he is 1no)n to econoics and statistics- as

he is seen thron$in$ the streets .y the illion- and of )ho no ore acco*nt can .e

ade than of the sand of the sea or the s+ray of its )aes( We are not concerned )ith the

fe) illions less or ore( They are a stoc18in8trade- nothin$ else( No- )e are s+ea1in$

of an in the hi$hest sense- of the end of the lon$ road to tr*e anhood- of 1in$ly en-

of the iortals( 0eni*s is not so rare as )e soeties thin1: nor- certainly- so fre6*entas ay a++ear fro history .oo1s or- indeed- fro the ne)s+a+ers( Harry has- )e

sho*ld say- $eni*s eno*$h to atte+t the 6*est of tr*e anhood instead of disco*rsin$

+itif*lly a.o*t his st*+id Ste++en)olf at eery diffic*lty enco*ntered(

!t is as *ch a atter for s*r+rise and sorro) that en of s*ch +ossi.ilities sho*ld

fall .ac1 on Ste++en)oles and "T)o so*ls- alas


40/144

)hole )orld- this Eden and its anifestations of .ea*ty and terror- of $reatness and

eanness- of stren$th and tenderness is cr*shed and i+risoned .y the )olf le$end 9*st

as the real an in hi is cr*shed and i+risoned .y that sha e,istence- the .o*r$eois(

Man desi$ns for hiself a $arden )ith a h*ndred 1inds of trees- a tho*sand 1inds

of flo)ers- a h*ndred 1inds of fr*it and e$eta.les( S*++ose- then- that the $ardener of

this $arden 1ne) no other distinction than .et)een edi.le and inedi.le- nine8tenths ofthis $arden )o*ld .e *seless to hi( He )o*ld +*ll *+ the ost enchantin$ flo)ers and

he) do)n the no.lest trees and een re$ard the )ith a loathin$ and enio*s eye( This

is )hat the Ste++en)olf does )ith the tho*sand flo)ers of his so*l( What does not stand

classified as either an or )olf he does not see at all( And consider all that he i+*tes to

"an"< All that is co)ardly and a+ish- st*+id and ean88)hile to the )olf- only .eca*se

he has not s*cceeded in a1in$ hiself its aster- is set do)n all that is stron$ and

no.le(

No) )e .id Harry $ood8.ye and leae hi to $o on his )ay alone( Were healready aon$ the iortals88)ere he already there at the $oal to )hich his diffic*lt

+ath sees to .e ta1in$ hi- )ith )hat aa/eent he )o*ld loo1 .ac1 to all this

coin$ and $oin$- all this indecision and )ild /i$8/a$ trail( With )hat a i,t*re of

enco*ra$eent and .lae- +ity and 9oy- he )o*ld sile at this Ste++en)olf(

When ! had read to the end it cae to y ind that soe )ee1s .efore ! had

)ritten one ni$ht a rather +ec*liar +oe- li1e)ise a.o*t the Ste++en)olf( ! loo1ed for itin the +ile of +a+ers on y cl*ttered )ritin$ ta.le- fo*nd it- and read=

The Wolf trots to and fro-

The )orld lies dee+ in sno)-

The raen fro the .irch tree flies-

#*t no)here a hare- no)here a roe-

The roe88she is so dear- so s)eet88

!f s*ch a thin$ ! i$ht s*r+rise

!n y e.race- y teeth )o*ld eet-


41/144

What else is there .eneath the s1ies;

The loely creat*re ! )o*ld so treas*re-

And feast yself dee+ on her tender thi$h-

! )o*ld drin1 of her red .lood f*ll eas*re-

Then ho)l till the ni$ht )ent .y(

Een a hare ! )o*ld not des+ise:

S)eet eno*$h its )ar flesh in the ni$ht(

!s eerythin$ to .e denied

That co*ld a1e life a little .ri$ht;

The hair on y .r*sh is $ettin$ $rey(

The si$ht is failin$ fro y eyes(

7ears a$o y dear ate died(

And no) ! trot and drea of a roe(

! trot and drea of a hare(

! hear the )ind of idni$ht ho)l(

! cool )ith the sno) y .*rnin$ 9o)l-

And on to the deil y )retched so*l ! .ear(

So no) ! had t)o +ortraits of yself .efore e- one a self8+ortrait in do$$erel

erse- as sad and sorry as yself: the other +ainted )ith the air of a lofty i+artiality .y

one )ho stood o*tside and )ho 1ne) ore and yet less of e than ! did yself( And

.oth these +ict*res of yself- y dis+irited and haltin$ +oe and the cleer st*dy .y an

*n1no)n hand- e6*ally afflicted e( #oth )ere ri$ht( #oth $ae the *narnished tr*th

a.o*t y shiftless e,istence( #oth sho)ed clearly ho) *n.eara.le and *ntena.le y

sit*ation )as( 4eath )as decreed for this Ste++en)olf( He *st )ith his o)n hand a1e

an end of his detested e,istence88*nless- olten in the fire of a rene)ed self81no)led$e-

he *nder)ent a chan$e and +assed oer to a self- ne) and *ndis$*ised( Alas< this

transition )as not *n1no)n to e( ! had already e,+erienced it seeral ties- and


42/144

al)ays in +eriods of *tost des+air( On each occasion of this terri.ly *+rootin$

e,+erience- y self- as it then )as- )as shattered to fra$ents( Each tie dee+8seated

+o)ers had sha1en and destroyed it: each tie there had follo)ed the loss of a cherished

and +artic*larly .eloed +art of y life that )as tr*e to e no ore( Once- ! had lost y

+rofession and lielihood( ! had had to forfeit the estee of those )ho .efore had

to*ched their ca+s to e( Ne,t- y faily life fell in r*ins oer ni$ht- )hen y )ife-)hose ind )as disordered- droe e fro ho*se and hoe( Loe and confidence had

chan$ed of a s*dden to hate and deadly enity and the nei$h.ors sa) e $o )ith

+ityin$ scorn( !t )as then that y solit*de had its .e$innin$( 7ears of hardshi+ and

.itterness )ent .y( ! had .*ilt *+ the ideal of a ne) life- ins+ired .y the asceticis of the

intellect( ! had attained a certain serenity and eleation of life once ore- s*.ittin$

yself to the +ractice of a.stract tho*$ht and to a r*le of a*stere editation( #*t this

old- too- )as .ro1en and lost at one .lo) all its e,alted and no.le intent( A )hirl of

trael droe e afresh oer the earth: fresh s*fferin$s )ere hea+ed *+- and fresh $*ilt(

And eery occasion )hen a as1 )as torn off- an ideal .ro1en- )as +receded .y this

hatef*l acancy and stillness- this deathly constriction and loneliness and *nrelatedness-this )aste and e+ty hell of loelessness and des+air- s*ch as ! had no) to +ass thro*$h

once ore(

!t is tr*e that eery tie y life )as shattered in this )ay ! had in the end $ained

soethin$- soe increase in li.erty and in s+irit*al $ro)th and de+th- .*t )ith it )ent

an increased loneliness- an increasin$ chill of seerance and estran$eent( Loo1ed at

)ith the .o*r$eois eye- y life had .een a contin*o*s descent fro one shatterin$ to the

ne,t that left e ore reote at eery ste+ fro all that )as noral- +erissi.le and

healthf*l( The +assin$ years had stri++ed e of y callin$- y faily- y hoe( ! stood

o*tside all social circles- alone- .eloed .y none- istr*sted .y any- in *nceasin$ and

.itter conflict )ith +*.lic o+inion and orality: and tho*$h ! lied in a .o*r$eois

settin$- ! )as all the sae an *tter stran$er to this )orld in all ! tho*$ht and felt(

Reli$ion- co*ntry- faily- state- all lost their al*e and eant nothin$ to e any ore(

The +o+osity of the sciences- societies- and arts dis$*sted e( My ie)s and tastes and

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Hermann Hesse Steppenwolf a Novel